Washing-machine



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A. QUIMBY, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 20,369, dated May 25, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that l, A. QUIMBY, of Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful left end Of the tub and K, fast on a vertical Improvement in Washing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accOmpanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is an end view of a washing machine constructed with my improvements. Fig. 2, is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.

Similar letters of reference in each of the several figures indicate corresponding parts.

The nature of my invention consists in the combination of the approximating plungers with the revolving tub, whereby the clothes are subjected to a continuous rotary action and at intervals to a squeezing or expressing action and thereby thoroughly washed.

To enable others, skilled in the art, to make and use my invention, I will proceed tO describe its construction and operation.

A, is the wash .tub hung so as to revolve on short journals B, B, in a frame C. This tub is furnished internally with ribs D, D, on all its sides so that the clothes shall be lifted, carried around and dropped as the tub revolves and thus be agitated more thoroughly and subjected to a more perfect cleansing operation.

E, E, are two approximating plungers ar ranged within the tub so as to slide from ends toward the center and vice-versa, being fitted snugly but loosely to the interior of said chamber as shown. These plungers are ribbed on their approximating faces, so as to operate more effectively upon the clothes.

The rotary motion of the tub A, is produced by means of two bevel wheels F, G, the wheel F, being arranged fast on the right end of the tub, and the other G, on a revolving shaft H, which is driven by a hand crank I, Or otherwise.

The sliding motion of the plunger is produced by means of four bevel wheels J, K, L, M, a semi-circular plate N, and compound levers N1, N 2, N3, which are actuated by a spring O, said mechanism being constructed, arranged and operated as follows.

The bevel wheel J, 1s arranged fast on the shaft P, which has its bearing on the frame B, and carries the bevel wheel L. The wheel L, gears into the bevel wheel M, which is made fast on a horizontal shaft Q, said shaft also, having its bearing on the frame B, and carrying the segment plate N.

The forked spring lever N1, is pivoted at f, to the frame B, and is connected by means of its forks g, g, and curved slots L, zf, to horizontal arms j, j, of auxiliary elbow levers N2, N3, which are pivOted at their elbows z', z', to the frame B, and connected by their vertical slotted arms 7o, 7c, to the rods El, El, of the plungers as shown.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that the mechanism which produces the rotary motion of the wash tub is combined with the mechanism which actuates the squeezing Or expressing plungers, and that the said two sets of mechanism are so disposed and arranged that the tub is al lowed to perform a series of revolutions, owing to the segment plate N acting as a stop against the action spring until the full length of its circumference has been passed over, before the plungers are brought into action or caused to approximate by the spring and compound lever arrangement.

The return of the plungers is effected by means of the semi-circular plate coming in Contact with a friction roller 'v of the forked lever N1, and elevating said lever, as illustrated in Fig. l, Of the drawing.

That l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination. of the approximating plungers E, E, with the revolving tub A, whereby the clothes are subjected to a continuous rotary action and at intervals t0 a squeezing or expressing action and thereby thoroughly washed; substantially as set forth.

ABRAHAM QUIMBY. lVitnesses D. S. DONALDSON, H. D. SCOTT. 

